The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-06-16
AMEllA'S PALACE.
Brigham Young's Reigning sultana-HeR
Elegant Residence.

Brigham Touns's Reigning sultana-Her
Elegant Residence.
Salt Lake City Is not noted for general
style, but it boasts a temple, tabernacle and
apalace. Pictures OF the first two arc COM
mon enough; but the palace is unknown to
most Americans, so We present herewith an
engraving Of it, taken from an original
photograph. It Is Familiarity known a.
"Amelia's Palace" at least 80 known to
Gentiles; and the history of Amelia's reign is
almost the history of the palace Very queer
history it is, too; and Americans who realize
in its fullness what such a history means
may conclude that some missionary work,
contemporary with a more vigorous prosecu-
ton of the law, would be wholesome
To begin at the beginning, Brigham Young
was horn June !, 1901, was a widower when
he Joined the Morlnons in 1882, married Mary
Ann Angel soon after at Kirkland, O., aud
followed the Mormon migrations to Nauvoo,
Ills, where polygamy was introduced secretly
at first) in 1913 l. Being among the fir
initiated he there married Clara Decker
Lucy Decker divorced for the purpose
from DR.. Seeley) and Harriet Cook.
After reaching Utah no married, in rapid
succession, Harriet Bowker, Harriet Barney,
Enmeline Free, Margaret Alley, Augusta
eight servant girls that were needed in tn.
family. He then left of marrying for sew
eral years, as Emmeline Free had attained a
great ascendency over him. She was a very
sweet and pretty woman, and her ten chill
dren are rather tho best in the family. But
she grew OLD, ami Brigham cast his eyes upon
Amelia Folsom, whose parents had brought
her from Portsmouth, N. H., her native
place, when they joined tho Mormona She
had an ardent young lover, but Brigham sent
him OH n mission to Europe. and in his ab-
sehse courted SO successfully that Amelia
consented TO lse his twenty-,linth. Enough
Of her predecessors had died, however, to
make her the seventeenth in regular success
sion from tue legal and living Nary Ann
Angel. So Brigham's domestic menagerie
was arranged OF. the plan Of
Eighteen souls with but a single thought,
Eighteen hearts that beat rs one.
But Amelia soon made sixteen other hearts
ache-sixteen super1uous wives take back
seats. She was young, artful perhaps, and
just wiliful enough to give spice to the old
mans life; and from 1866 to 1877 she was
practically Brigham's queen She was his
sole companion in his carriage rides and the
atze box; ana for her exclusive use he built
tl,e 20 called palace. Its reputed cost was
60,O00, SO it would not be much of palace
in an eastern city. Its style is hard to de-
scribe, being rather composite, as shown in
our picture; but the general effect is very fine.
After few rooms had been made ready for
the queen. the remainder was long in being
flnished-in fact the last touches had scarcely
been given it when Brigham died in the sum-
mer Of 1877, and his vast fortune was scat
tered. The heads of the church, by some
law known to themselves, divided his prop
erty among his sixty old wives and children;
some of tho heirs revolted and brought suit;
. compromise was effected and the palace got
into the hands of the church. John Taylor,
successor to Brigham, occupied it q while;
but he Is now fugitive, and, as some report,
an imbecile, and the final disposal of the pal
ace remains to be decided. Amelia lives
quietly ON her share Of the great estate; the